20 Most Controversial Comics Covers Of All Time

By Bryant Lucas /

5. Batgirl #41 Variant

This cover might be the most controversial comic booker cover in recent history. Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Joker, DC commissioned various artists to draw Joker themed variant covers for each of their titles. When well known horror artist Rafael Abuquerque was asked to draw the Joker variant for Batgirl, he decided that he wanted to pay homage to one of the most famous Joker stories of all time: The Killing Joke, where Batgirl Barbara Gordon was shot, paralyzed and potentially raped by the Joker. Due to the graphic and arguably sexist nature of this cover, the controversial story it referenced, and the images disconnect with the current tone of the Batgirl title, DC received a huge amount of backlash when the cover was revealed on line. Eventually, Rafael Abuquerque requested that the cover not be released.